


Your Name

by tanyasm10



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender, 君の名は。| Kimi no Na wa. | Your Name.
Genre: Angst, Enter: Shiro and Matt, Eventual Fluff, Heith - Freeform, Hunk and Shay are good friends, Hunk helps take care of kids because he's a softie, M/M, Mutual Pining, My First AO3 Post, Pining Hunk (Voltron), Pining Keith (Voltron), Please be gentle, Shay too, Shunk if you squint and turn upside down, Slow Burn, Thace takes care of children, Varkon is a noob, a wild allura appears, a wild ulaz appears, farmer hunk, hunk fighting for what he believes in, hunk helps take care of a farm and it is amazing, is that a thing?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-01
Updated: 2017-07-22
Packaged: 2018-10-26 05:49:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,450
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10780854
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tanyasm10/pseuds/tanyasm10
Summary: Hunk Garret is a boy that lives in a small quiet town where he has to fight to keep the local rec centre open while at the same time battles with wanting to leave to pursue his dreams.Keith is a city boy that's used to the bustle, has no idea where he's going in life and would just like a moment's peace after his mother walked out on him and his dad.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This is the prologue. You should know that while the plot is essentially the same, story events and details are different just to add variety. 
> 
> Updates on this will be sporadic since I've just gotten back into Uni but I promise I won't abandon this.

‘Life goes on’. A common phrase that spoke about the perpetuality of time. A phrase that highlighted more than anything just how insignificant things that bother people tended to be. Arguments and grudges may be a constant cloud over a person’s life but at the end of the day it didn’t matter. Not really. Not to time.

That is how it always was. And that it how it always will be. A person couldn’t waste their own time on small things. They couldn’t afford to. Not with how little of it they had. Time was both infinite and finite.

How funny.

It was for this exact reason that he didn’t like to let the feeling bother him too much. He didn’t know when it started, but there was this feeling within that he was missing…something? Someone? Some place? He didn’t know what it was. He didn’t allow it to bother him. He didn’t have time. Time was perpetual, it never changed.

Then again, neither did this feeling.

Most of the time he could ignore it. It was easy to when he was so busy. His lifestyle afforded the luxury not to remain stagnant for too long. He couldn’t remain stagnant. If he did then he’d be forced to think. To think about what he was missing.

And that was when it plagued him.

It made no sense. How could a person be missing something if they don’t know what it is?

In French when they miss something they say ‘il me manque’, it is lacking to me. I had something, it is gone therefore I lack it and as a result I miss it.

How can you lack something you never had? And there was the rub. He had something. He had something _so important_ that it haunted him for years after he lost it.

Some nights, if he stayed awake in that brief purgatory between dream and waking world, he could hear the answer. A whisper so soft that it barely moved the air around it. It was a single word, a soft syllable. But before he could catch it, it was gone like mist and he was stuck with the feeling only more overwhelming.

But life goes on.

 


	2. Dubiety

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Away we go!
> 
> Teuila: "Tay-WEE-Lah
> 
> EDIT: This has Chapter has been updated just so it can make more sense

He woke up with a start, grasping his lungs and panting for air. The soft sheets of the bed flopped unceremoniously on the floor as he tried to regain his composure.

For moment he sat in shock. A dream. It was only a dream. And yet it felt like a distant memory. From a different life. He couldn’t grasp at the particulars, the image was already fading. The only thing that remained was the feeling – longing.

It was unfamiliar yet somehow nostalgic. An amalgamation of juxtaposing emotions that, honestly, he didn’t have the mental capacity to make sense of at the moment.

He wiped his hand on his face to wipe the accumulated sweat. Then paused. It didn’t feel normal. It didn’t feel like his.

In fact, now that he was more aware he realised the room didn’t feel like his either. He didn’t know how he didn’t notice it sooner but there were posters of chefs on the walls and a weird contraption on the desk that looked like it was either in the midst of being taken apart or put back together.

Looking down, he noticed the immediate differences. The very first obvious one was that his skin was a golden russet. His hand was a lot larger. In fact, he _felt_ a lot larger.

Frantically his stripped off the rest of the sheets to view himself half naked. Yes. He was larger. _Everywhere._ Including—

He felt his cheeks heat up as he stared.

A dream. He was still in a wild, crazy, hyper real dream.

“Uh…bro? What’re you doing?”

Caught in the act of ogling at…himself? Was that a thing?  He immediately glanced up to see a ten year old girl at the door with furrowed eyebrows. When did she open it?

He blinked at her as he processed her words. Did she just call him ‘bro’?

Letting out an exasperated sigh she rolled her eyes. “Grandma made breakfast since you woke up so late. Hurry up and get dressed, okay?”

She left after he nodded numbly at her.

Right. He needed to get up. And so he did. And as he did he took the moment to take in the dream world around him. He was in a room – he’d already established that. A bedroom. And for the most part it looked, he didn’t know how to describe it other than _lived in_. On the table next to the contraption was half a cup of cold coffee with milk in it. There were pages of handwriting along the wall of the desk too. They looked like schematics of some kind, maybe an engine? Whatever, he didn’t have brain for this sort of thing.

Soft light filtered through the window and hit a backpack which was probably for school on the opposite side of the room next to the cupboard. He walked towards it and opened the door, revealing a mirror.

He looked at himself fully for the first time.

He was larger, definitely, but built. His arms were the size of large tree branches. He’d probably be able to annihilate anyone in an arm wrestling match, or lug around heavy stuff like it was nothing. And he was round…soft. There wasn’t anything jutting out in angles, even his nose was smooth.

He looked…approachable. Like a gentle giant.

Wait, no he didn’t have time to marvel at himself. The little girl was expecting him.

0O0

Hunk walked into the dining room dressed up and ready for school. In his hair was a yellow ribbon that he’d tied only moments before.

“Morning guys,” he said happily before grabbing a chair to the table.

“Morning,” came the reply from his younger sister Teuila and his grandmother.

Teuila was a spritely young thing with the brightest eyes that Hunk ever had the pleasure of seeing. Her beautiful dark brown hair was tied into two buns, no doubt with help from her grandmother. She still had a bit of puppy fat which could especially be seen in her cheeks.

His grandmother on the other hands was an old but lovely woman. Her grey hair was tied into a loose ponytail with little fly way whisps of it that were on the sides. The few wrinkles she had were from the laugh lines in her face while a bit of looser skin could be seen in her upper arms and her neck as was customary for older people.

“There’s coffee in the pot,” the older woman added.

Hunk hastily thanked her before placing a quick peck on her temple and sitting down. He grabbed the plate of bacon before him and began dishing. There was a comfortable silence as the sound of the dishing spoons scraping the plate were prevalent.

“You’re acting normal today,” the old woman said after observing him for a moment.

He looked at her in confusion. “What?”

His sister’s eyes sparkled as she stood. “Right! Yesterday you were acting totally crazy!”

“Sit down, Teuila.”

She reluctantly sat down with a pout, but their grandmother ruffled her hair affectionately.

Hunk turned a little apprehensive, his fork suspended in mid-air. “What’re you guys talking about?”

At that instant the adverts that were playing softly in the background changed back to the news programme. They were displaying the local rec centre with a journalist in front of it.

“—has been a place for many children to take refuge over the years. Most of them use it as a place of comfort. For some it’s the only place they can get a decent meal. Galra’s deal with them may change everything, however, as they plan to level this entire area to create a new set of office blocks--”

Suddenly it changed to a different news channel.

“Wait, I was watching that.” He turned to see the older woman with the remote in her wizened fingers.

“It’s no use looking at that if it’s only going to make you upset,” she responded. “I know you.”

He relaxed immediately and looked away. She had a point.

Softly the news continued to play in the background about a comet they’d been raving about for the past few months. He’d heard most of the information already so he hardly paid attention—it was mostly natter now.

“Make sure to feed the chickens before you leave.”

“Yes, grandma.”

Fifteen minutes later, both he and the chickens had full stomachs and were ready to take on the day. With a prompt farewell from both the siblings, they left the small farmhouse on their trek to school.

The early autumn air was mercifully warm. The crunch of the first few leaves to fall could be heard as they made their way out of the gate. Soft chatter filled the air which was punctuated by the early morning farm sounds. It was a melody he was familiar with, that filled him with tender warmth along with a nipping chill.

Their farm was quite small. It only really consisted of the chickens and patches of corn and a few vegetables. Along with a mule that helps hoe the garden for new crops at the turn of the season.

The farm was at the top of a hill so it looked down on the small town.

There was a fork in the road and the siblings sent their well wishes before separating. For some time Hunk walked alone on the golden stretch, passing more houses and other teenagers on their way to school. It was a peaceful place. It was a peaceful way of living. Nothing ever really happened there.

Not unless they were children’s rec centres.

“Hey, Hunk!”

He turned suddenly and saw his friends rushing up to him. Lance was the taller one with a huge grin on his face while Pidge was shorter and younger (she’d skipped a year) trying to keep up with his longer strides. He’d known them for as long as he could remember – everyone knew everybody in this town/

“Hi guys.”

“Lance, you move way too fast,” Pidge grumbled once she finally caught up to them.

“Maybe you move too slowly, my dear Pidge,” Lance said breezily before they carried on walking together.

For a moment they said nothing, which was unlike them so Hunk shot them a quick glance. They’d been studying him.

“You look alright today,” Pidge observed.

“What?”

Lance leered closer and gave him a once over. “Yeah. Did you get exorcised yesterday?”

“Ghosts don’t exist, Lance.”

“But cryptids do?” he bit back.

Pidge sighed. “Hunk is just stressed. Right Hunk?”

Hunk looked at them in confusion. “I have no idea what you’re talking about it.”

The other two faltered for a moment as they regarded him. “You mean, you don’t remember?”

Before he could answer they saw a massive billboard once the trees broke and a loud voice talked through a megaphone. A mall crowd came into view and in the front was the mayor in a pencil skirt and blouse, looking proper as ever.

Lance immediately straitened his posture at the sight of her. It was almost instinctive, as though he could feel her judging his every move from where she was standing.

“This deal will do wonders for our own. With Galra here, it’ll put our place on the map…”

Behind her was the large billboard.

_Galra Industrial Complex. Coming Soon!_

There was a picture of the Galra Industries mascot, a weird cat alien thing, doing some weird cliché anime pose and winking. It was large, bright and obnoxious and made Hunk’s eyebrows furrow in contempt. They didn’t care. _They didn’t care._

“No progress on your side, huh?” Lance asked softly.

Teenagers from their school were snickering at them as they walked by the crowd, whispering at each other.

_“Isn’t it strange how the mayor and her girlfriend’s sons are so close?”_

_“It’s a wonder how they don’t hate each other after this deal.”_

“Ignore them,” Pidge said.

“You would think that being the girlfriend of the mayor would make a difference,” Hunk muttered. He rubbed the back of his neck as his expression softened. “But there’s only so much I can do, I guess. Come on.”

0O0

The Home Ec class was where Hunk felt most at home. The teacher was the most agreeable out of them and she was flittering about in front of the white board talking about health. He couldn’t bring himself to concentrate on her voice this time though as he sifted through his notes.

The Galra deal was nothing but a disaster, and sometimes Hunk felt like he was the only one who could see it, which was ridiculous. Yeah, sure, they would bring money into the small town and would supply jobs to those who so desperately needed them but at the cost of the Little Lion Rec Centre? It was completely absurd.

_“You have to understand – it’s in the middle of the town. It’s accessible to everyone and it’s so easy to find. It’s all about location, Hunk dear.”_

As if he didn’t know. She knew better than to patronise him.

_“What am I supposed to do?  I’m just her girlfriend.”_

_“Hunk, honestly I don’t have the energy to talk about this. I have an early morning tomorrow.”_

Suddenly he noticed a note that definitely wasn’t his own in his notebook. It was written hastily, was large and obnoxiously took up the whole page with space for little to nothing else.

‘Who are you?’

Hunk’s nose wrinkled as he stared at it. Then he glanced around the classroom as though it held the answers. Lance was dozing off on his desk, probably tired from a late night. Again. The rest of the class was more or less a little more engaged in what the teacher was saying.

“Hunk, do you have the answer?”

He glanced up in surprise. “What?”

The teacher’s gaze turned to one of genuine amusement. “I see you remember your name today.”

The class broke out into little giggles and Hunk couldn’t help but feel his face burn a little.

Okay it was like he was part of an elaborate joke and everyone but him knew the punchline. What was going on?

0O0

“You mean, you really don’t remember?”

It was lunch time and Hunk and his friends liked to eat theirs on the bleachers on warm days like this. For an area that was wide, it was kind of secluded from the hullabaloo of the other students.

“Yesterday you totally forgot where your locker and classes were,” Pidge continued, unwrapping a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. 

“I don’t think your hair even touched a comb yesterday, dude,” Lance added. “Not to mention your headband was nowhere to be seen.”

Hunk self-consciously touched his headband. “I…what? Really?”

“It was like you had amnesia,” Pidge commented.

Hunk took in their words and looked down at his sandwich. A BLT his grandmother had made for him, no doubt because he woke up late that day. “Well…to be honest I’ve kinda been feeling like I’m in a weird dream lately. Like I’m in someone else’s life. I can’t really say for sure, though.”

Lance looked at him. “You’re probably dreaming of a past life. Or, maybe you’re experiencing the memories of the spirit that’s been possessing you.”

“Again. Ghosts don’t exist.”

“Ain’t that the kettle calling the pot black?”

Hunk watched the two of them bicker like an old married couple for a moment, just before his mind went back to that strange message he’d read in his notebook.

“Lance, did you write anything in my notebook?”

They paused and looked at him blankly and Hunk sighed in defeat.

“Forget it.”

Pidge scooted closer to him in concern. “But Hunk, you really _did_ act strange yesterday. Are you sure you’re alright?”

Hunk looked down at the sandwich again. It was strange. Apart from the Galra thing that had been upsetting him in the long term…

“I feel fine.”

“Maybe it’s just stress. You’ve been rehearsing with the kids for that showcase, right?”

“Don’t remind me,” Hunk said, lying dramatically onto the step. “It’ll be the last one if anything doesn’t happen soon. This town is so small, the mayor will accept anything to bring in more money. I really just want to live in a large city where stuff like that isn’t a problem you know?”

Pidge nodded. “I hear you, and I totally agree. There’s really nothing here.”

“We have to go to the next town if we need a dentist.”

“And if we need to go the next town we need a car. There aren’t any bus stops.”

“The town clock hasn’t worked for as long as I’ve been alive.”

“Not to mention the lack of a bookstore.”

“Everyone knows everyone’s business.”

“The only interesting place is the diner.”

“And would it kill to have, I don’t know, just one restaurant? Like a proper one with a gourmet menu.”

“Give me a break.”

Pidge and Hunk blinked at Lance owlishly and he gave a knowing smile.

“Would either of you like to go to a café after school?”

Both of their eyes widened. “What? A café?”

0O0

After school Pidge stared across the table at Lance with an insufferable expression. Lance raised an eyebrow at her over a glass of lemonade.

“What?”

“Café, huh?”

He waved his hand dismissively. “You knew there wasn’t one.”

Pidge looked out the window of the diner, her head leaning against her right hand as her left played with the straw of her ice water.

“Hunk went to the rec centre. Poor guy.”

Lance’s expression softened. “Things sure must be rough for him. I just wish I could do more.”

“He doesn’t blame you, you know.”

“I do, but,” he sighed. “I’m the mayor’s son. I should be able to do _something_. But…she doesn’t listen to me. After the whole Galra thing, I’m surprised he even keeps me around, you know?”

Pidge turned her gaze to him. “Why wouldn’t he? It’s not like it was your decision.”

Lance took a long sip from his lemonade to avoid answering and Pidge looked away again.

“Lance. What’re you gonna do after graduation?”

Lance glanced at her. “Asking about my future, are we?”

“So what if I am?”

A thoughtful expression crossed his features. “I guess I’ll just carry on living a normal life here with my family. Like everyone else in this town.”

Pidge made an incomprehensible noise in response as she carried on looking out of the window at everyone else in the town going about their lives. Their normal, everyday, mundane lives. The same routine over and over. It was no wonder nobody ever came. It was no wonder the mayor made the deal.

And it really was no wonder that Hunk was so desperate to leave.

“Poor guy.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please tell me about any spelling or grammatical mistakes. I tried to proofread this but I'm only human


	3. Connection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hunk's afternoon at The Little Lion Rec Centre is interrupted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I suggest you check out the chapter before since it's been edited and more information has been added.
> 
> This was fun to write since you can see an obvious deviation from the film.

“One, two – that’s it, you’ve got it – five, six and seven and eight.”

“Thace! I gotta go pee!”

“What’s that? Okay, okay. I think that’s enough for today, yeah? Shay has juice in the next room.”

Those words were music to Hunk's ears and relief washed over him. In front of him, the excited nods of children five through twelve was like a wave before they all left. For half an hour they'd been practicing the steps.  The younger kids still struggled a bit with the routine, but it made sense since they’d only practice twice a week and it’s only been a couple since they’d initially started learning

Hunk volunteered when he could, which was nice because the centre allowed a flexible timetable. It needed all the help it could get.

He slumped into the nearest chair. These practices were taking a toll on him, but at least the kids were having fun. They were so excited when they found out about performing for the town and it was like they were extra stimulated.

“You okay there?”

Looking up, Hunk saw golden hazel eyes looking at him in concern.

“Hey Thace.”

“You seem a lot better today.”

A groan escaped Hunk’s lips as he slumped even further into his chair. “What did I do?”

“You don’t remember?”

“Not at all. As far as I know, yesterday never happened.”

Thace lifted a bushy eyebrow and pulled up a chair next to Hunk. It was kind of comical, the chair was bright pink with a fairy on it – the kids painted some of them as a craft project a few years ago. In fact, the entire place just looked like a haven for kids. There was a large mural in the room of various Disney characters including Mulan, Hiro and Wall-E (Moana was added by the artist during the summer break after Hunk’s insistence when he’d heard the kids raving about her earlier in the year). There were smaller tables for the little children with crayons and colouring pages, tons of glitter to go around and a chest filled with dress up props if the kids felt like it.

There were Legos and Barbies in the same corner. Thace hoped that having them close to each other would help the kids develop a more diverse range of play. Next to them was the bookshelf filled with everything a child would need to expand their imagination. Sometimes they had a reading circle and Shay or Thace would read to the children.

“Shay was talking about how you’d forgotten the routine yesterday. The kids thought it was pretty funny, but she was concerned. She said you looked like you weren’t _there_ you know? Like you were a different person?”

_Not this again_ , Hunk thought.

“I’m fine, really,” he stated, standing up to pick up some of the toys. “Just…out of it, you know?”

Thace regarded him for a while. “Are you sure you want to help out with the routine? If it’s too much, you can say the word. I can handle it myself, no problem.”

“No!” Hunk turned around so quickly he thought he might get whiplash. “Don’t. I’m okay, Thace.”

Thace had that look of concern in his eyes, the Papa Bear look that Hunk came to associate him with. He opened his mouth as if to argue, but Shay interrupted.

“Thace? Varkon is here to see you.”

“What? Right now?”

“Yes.”

Thace gave Hunk a lingering look before standing and leaving the room. Hunk met Shay at the door and she smiled softly though it didn't reach her eyes. Lately she was more sad than anything. This Galra deal was taking a toll on her too.

“You okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” she chirped. Then she cleared her throat as though realising how high her voice was. “How-How were the children?”

“Great. Thace is a good teacher.”

“I’ll say. They came out of that room with smiles brighter than anything. And of course, they absolutely adore you.”

Hunk chuckled lightly as he scratched the back of his neck. “Yeah, I mean I guess. They’re just really good kids you know?”

“Don’t I know it?” Her gaze travelled to the next room where the group was eating orange slices. Her expression turned melancholic. “It’s a shame really, what they’re doing to this place.”

“I’m sure we can do something about this.”

“So full of optimism. Well, unless either one of the parties involved in the deal pull out I’m not sure we can do anything. And I know for a fact the mayor isn’t gonna budge.”

“I’m sure she’ll come to her senses. Lance is talking to her—”

“Her son?”

“Yeah, and I’m trying to get my mom to do it as well. If Lance's mom isn't gonna listen to him, I'm hoping she'd at least listen to her girlfriend.” Hunk clenched his fists. “She has to see reason. She _has_ to.”

Shay smiled. “Look, Hunk. I agree wholeheartedly but bringing Galra in is good for the town. I just…wish there was a better way of going about this.”

Hunk's expression turned pained. Shay was hurting just as much as he was, her entire life was this rec centre. For it to go away...

“I’m just saying, Zarkon is wondering why we have to wait for so long to demolish this place.”

Hunk and Shay exchanged glances as they heard the muffled conversation.

“Please, Varkon, keep your voice down.”

Hunk left Shay but not without a reassuring smile to follow the source of the conversation.  A few of the kids that weren’t in the dance practice session greeted him on his way to the entrance hall, and he replied with his own albeit distractedly.

“Galra is already ready to go, but the mayor told me to come to you about when we should tear this place down.”

Varkon was a stocky guy with a burly moustache and the most unagreeable face. He looked like the world itself challenged him and that he was ready to fight tooth and nail with anyone who so much as looked at him wrong.

Chills went down Hunk’s spine.

“You have to understand, we have a set programme here. The children aren’t ready, Varkon, and neither are we. There’s gonna be a showcase for the town—”

“What do I care about some showcase? I want answers, Thace. That’s what I came here for.”

It seemed neither of them noticed that Hunk was there and he was happy for his concealment as he tried to find a way to diffuse the situation.

He looked around the room for inspiration and his eyes landed on some weird Space Opera poster from a movie some time ago, probably Star Wars he didn’t really know. What he _did_ know was that it gave him an idea.

“Excuse me, uh, Varkon?”

The man turned to him, and honestly it seemed that Hunk’s very presence offended him. He was scary, it certainly was no wonder Shay was shaken up.

“Hunk what’re you doing here?” Thace asked.

“Offering a suggestion,” Hunk said before turning to Varkon. He was shaking internally and honestly he thought he was going to throw up all over the guy, but he didn’t let it show. He couldn’t let the sleezeball know just how intimidated he was. “There’s a festival for the comet in three months. It seems like the perfect time for the kids to have their showcase since the whole town will be there. And, considering the fact that Galra is literally gonna tear down the one thing the children have in this town, wouldn’t it be just great for publicity if they sponsored the show? Show that there’s no bad blood between them and the town?”

Varkon regarded him for the longest time, but Hunk did not let his guard down for an instant as he stared right back at him.

“Sounds doable,” he eventually said. “But after the festival, I want these kids out of here.”

“Consider it done,” Thace replied.

Varkon looked at them for a moment before leaving the building.

As soon as the door clicked shut behind him, Hunk let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding and staggered.

“I think my life flashed before my eyes.”

“What were you thinking?” Thace asked as he helped steady him. “He looked like he was going to eat you alive.”

Hunk tried to steady his breathing. He was trembling. “I don’t know. I just thought-We needed time, Thace. And three months just seemed enough. I didn’t want him to bully you anymore.”

“Bully me?” Thace chuckled. “Hunk, you are something else, you know that? But you shouldn’t be fighting my battles.”

“They’re mine just as much as yours.”

“They’re not. They’re _not_. Listen to me. You’re still in school, and you want to go toe to toe with people like him? You’ve got a future Hunk. You’ve got dreams. These people don’t care about that.”

“They don’t care about anything.”

“You just let me worry about that, okay? Concentrate on graduating, and getting the hell out of here.”

Hunk said nothing, which seemed like a good enough answer for Thace though in the end they both knew he wasn’t going to back down.

0O0

The sound of keys jiggling could be heard as Hunk got back home. The sun had already set, but it wasn’t night yet so the world was tinted in the most beautiful rose purple. The clouds were like sugary candyfloss and the sky looked like a painter spilled a bucket all over it.

“I’m home, Grandma,” he said as he closed the door behind him.

“Hunk! You’re home!”

Before he could do anything he was ambushed by his sister as she leapt onto him to give him a bone crushing hug.

“Hey, Teuila,” he replied. “Where’s grandma?”

“She’s making her baskets,” she said as he put her down. She grabbed him by the arm and started leading him to her.

“Is Mom home?”

“Nope,” she responded, popping the ‘p’.

Hunk honestly didn’t know why he was expecting a different answer.

Teuila led him to the lounge where his grandmother was sitting, working on baskets for the market for the autumn harvest. Her long hair was tied into a bun so as to not intrude her work and she was humming softly.

“Hello, Hunk dear,” she said without looking away from her work.

“Hey. Um, I’ll get started on dinner then?”

“No need,” she responded. “I was feeling nostalgic and made keke pua’a just this afternoon.”

“Aww, what? Why didn’t you tell me you wanted some? I’d have made them myself.”

“That’s exactly why I haven’t told you,” she replied. “You’re spreading yourself too thin. And you’re stressed. We know how you get when you’re stressed, don’t we Teuila?”

The little girl nodded eagerly and Hunk looked at her as though she committed the ultimate betrayal.

He sighed and sat down next to her before grabbing some reeds himself. “At least let me help you make the baskets.”

“I wanna help too!” Teuila yelled, sitting down as well.

“The help is much appreciated, thank you,” their grandmother said with a smile.

Hunk had learnt how to weave baskets when he was much younger and was practically a pro at it now. His sister, on the other hand, lacked the experience but she had fun doing it all the same. Weaving baskets calmed him down for the most part and he couldn’t help but think that his grandmother knew he needed this somehow. They weren’t due for the market for at least another month, but he figured she could sense an impending break down.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” she asked now, snapping him out of his thoughts. She gestured at the large window that faced the town, but Hunk was sure she was talking about something else. “That moment between night and day. It’s a magical time. Some cultures suggest that you’d be able to meet something not quite human, that the line between this world and another one blurs a little.”

Hunk chuckled. “Yeah, but gran, you don’t actually believe that stuff, do you?”

She carried on as though she hadn’t heard him. “The other world might not even be another world, but this one in a different reality. We’re all connected. I like to think that though these realities are separate, they intertwine like the warp and weft of the reeds of a basket. Your headbands, Hunk, for example. We made them some time ago, but they all started out as singular threads too. One could even go so far as to say that people are connected in this way, as well. Multiple people in multiple realities. And connections transcend time and space. Indeed, right now we are connected to your father, and we are connected to the ones that will be most important to us in the future. We just haven’t seen it yet.”

Hunk looked down at his basket. It wasn’t even a quarter way done, but it was enough that he could see the warp and the weft intertwining in harmony. He had no idea why, but the words of his grandmother resonated within him. Disturbingly so.

“I should go and replace Elric’s water,” he said, excusing himself.

His grandmother watched him with a knowing smile before continuing with her work.

0O0

Elric was a gentle mule that helped with the more labour intensive work on the small farm. Hunk greeted him as he opened the fence and mule huffed in response before moving to nudge him affectionately.

“Sorry for disturbing you, I’ll be out of your hair in a little while,” Hunk said as he went to the trough.

It was night now and the sky had turned an inky black. Changing the water and refilling the food trough wasn’t that hard of a chore, but he enjoyed it nonetheless. He also enjoyed Elric’s company. But even so, Hunk couldn’t let go of the feeling that this life just wasn’t enough for him. Taking care of his father’s farm isn’t what he saw himself doing in ten years. But he knew his grandmother would be disappointed if he didn’t do just that.

Teuila had it easy, she had big dreams. And Hunk wanted to ensure that those would be a possibility for her. To not take care of the farm himself would lay the unnecessary burden on her shoulders. It wasn’t right.

The gate squeaked behind him as he closed it and Elric approached him from the other side of the fence, nudging him once more. Hunk petted him with a soft smile.

“Maybe I’ll be a handsome city boy in my next life, huh Elric?” he said. “Then I could open my restaurant and make the finest gourmet cuisine for everyone to enjoy.” He paused before he looked up at the stars. They twinkled so brightly that night that it truly was a marvellous sight. “Wouldn’t that be something?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Keke Pua'a is a Samoan dish that I believe takes up some time to make.
> 
> Next chapter is Hunk in Keith's body! I wonder what kind of trouble he'll get into.


	4. Change

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hunk wakes up feeling...different

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Rick Sanchez voice) And awaaaayyyyy we go

_BZZZZT…BZZZT…BZZZT_

The sound shattered through Hunk’s consciousness, waking him up. A low mumble resonated through his chest as his arm stretched out to find the source of the sound. When it didn’t touch anything, he stretched further and then, miscalculating the length of his arm, he fell out of bed in a grand flourish.

“Ow…” he muttered, his voice muffled by the floor, the blankets draped over him.

He sat up again, pulling the dark sheets off of him and blinked slowly, waiting for everything to come into focus. When the hazy morning vision cleared, he looked around his room.

Except it wasn’t his room.

Thick brows furrowing, he took in his surroundings. It was…eerily clean. Nothing to be seen. The walls were dark and completely void of anything. There was a wardrobe and chest of drawers too, nothing special. The desk tucked away in the corner had a pen holder with one pen, a pencil and a ruler next to a lamp and nothing else.

He had no idea where he was.

Immediately Hunk’s heart beat quickened as well his breathing. He clenched the sheets between his fingers as he felt himself start to panic. He looked down and immediately his attack was cut off at noticing how different he looked.

He was paler. And not in a ‘Well, it was winter so you didn’t stay in the sun that long so you’re not as dark’ kind of way.

Hunk shot up, yelling in fright, but he miscalculated how much weight needed to be put into the action so he fell onto the floor once more.

Turned out he had way less bulk too.

Thinking the best way to confront this issue was head on, Hunk hunted for a mirror about the room. Of course, the room was practically bare so it was more of a mission than anything. He opened drawers, guiltily feeling like he was going through a person’s personal affairs. Initially he though they wouldn’t have anything, but they had things a normal drawer would have which, incidentally, did not include mirrors.

But there was one with a ton of knives. All kinds, most of them Hunk couldn’t even begin to name if asked. He closed that drawer pretty quickly.

After glancing around the room once more he noticed a slightly ajar door leading to the bathroom. He went through and his mirror hunt came to a close. There was one hanging over the sink and he saw his reflection immediately.

The first thought that struck him was that he was…handsome. Hunk wasn’t afraid to admit it, he knew he could also appreciate a man’s looks. His hair was kind of messy though, from the bedhead, but it was a deep black and kind of long in the back.

“Keith! Are you awake?”

The voice startled Hunk and he looked in the direction it came from. It was deep and had a twang to it, certainly not a voice that he recognised. Timidly, he ventured out to find the source of it, leaving the confines of the room that he’d only just gotten accustomed to.

The hallway loomed before him and Hunk kept his hands very close to his chest as he normally did when he got nervous. It was like one of those horror movies that Pidge and Lance made him watch (usually he hid his face in a cushion or a plushie).

As it turned out, the source came from an open plan kitchen and dining area. There was a man dressed in a suit. He was kind of gruff looking with the scar over his eyebrow and the stubble on his defined jaw. Right now he was giving Hunk a sort of resigned look.

“You woke up late. Your breakfast’s getting cold.”

“Yeah…s-sorry.”

The man raised an eyebrow, but if he was unconvinced he didn’t tell him.

“Just eat and get ready quickly so you don’t miss the bus. If you do, it won’t be your first time walking now, will it?”

Hunk made a small noise of affirmation while the man stood up and grabbed his jacket that was draped over the chair. He passed by him on his way to the door.

“I’m heading out now. Stay out of trouble now, alright?”

“Have nice day,” Hunk barely squeaked out before the door opened and closed almost resolutely.

Hunk stared blankly at the door for a moment before glancing down at the plate of cold bacon and eggs. Next to it was some instant coffee. He grabbed a mug after searching the kitchen and made some coffee for himself, then opened the fridge only to find a pitcher of soy milk.

“When in Rome,” he mumbled, grabbing it and pouring some in the cup.

He cringed after taking a sip, finding it a bit too sweet for his liking. But he carried on holding the cup, liking the warmth on his fingers.

“…What a strange dream.”

The buzzing of the phone from earlier forced Hunk out of his thoughts. He slammed the mug back onto the table and urgently went back to the room he came from.

The phone was on the floor and he tentatively picked it up to read the message.

_‘Shiro:_

_Run! You’re late’._

_Shiro? Who’s that?_ Hunk wondered.

He went to the wardrobe and looked inside it for an outfit. Immediately he frowned because there was so much black, but after some digging he found a yellow shirt that he figured he could wear a dark jacket over it.

The hair was also an issue. Hunk didn’t know how to style it so he just combed it and tied it in an elastic he found in one of the drawers.

After looking at himself one more time in the mirror (he figured he could shower later) he gave himself a swift nod of reassurance before grabbing the backpack he found in the wardrobe and opening the front door.

He was not ready to be attacked by the magnificent view.

He was high up in an apartment building on the outskirts of a grand city that twinkled under the sunlight. Skyscrapers seemed to desperately reach for the clouds above. It was like something right out of one those tourist books or even a movie. Hunk had never been filled with such wanderlust in his life. He wanted nothing more than to explore.

And then he realised, it wasn’t like he _knew_ where the school was. And the bus was probably long gone by now, wherever the bus stop was. He could…go on an extensive search for it in the city. That’s what he would call it. A search.

And did he ever. Along the busy streets, in a beautiful park that he spent extra-long walking through, across the esplanades that housed chicest boutiques he’d ever seen and Hunk had never felt more excitement than when he saw a café on a street corner. An actual café, with people serving delicious coffee and beautifully crafted food and desserts to anybody who so desired. And his heart positively soared at the gourmet Thai-Italian fusion restaurant he found a little ways down the road.

The world never really looked as bright as it did that day, and Hunk knew in his heart that if this was a dream he never wanted it to end.

The search for the school that is. Because that was what he was doing. At least, that was what he was calling this.

He sighed, guilt overcoming him. He couldn’t do this. Couldn’t be out here enjoying himself while he – whoever ‘he’ was – was supposed to be school. People were expecting him to be there, and didn’t that man (a father, perhaps) tell him to stay out of trouble?

Hunk opened the backpack in order to find answers. He honestly didn’t know where he was supposed to be going, but he figured that it would contain some kind of clue. He could ask directions from there.

Aha! A library card.

_‘Keith Kogane.’_ Hunk chuckled at the picture of the boy on it. He was really stoic, it looked more like a mugshot than anything.

‘ _Garrison High School.’_ Weird name.

Well, he wasn’t here to judge the name. He was supposed to look for it.

0O0

By the time Hunk found the place it was lunch time and it was bustling with activity. He was absolutely overwhelmed by the sheer amount of students in the place, a stark contrast to the small amount of them at his own high school.

He had no idea where he was supposed to go and so, in his confusion, he bumped into someone a lot larger than himself.

The person turned around and had the meanest looking face Hunk had ever seen, an eyepatch going over the one eye and an absolutely despicable expression on his face.

“Watch it, Kogane.”

Hunk absolutely shook in his boots. “I…I’m—”

“You wanna pick another fight with me? Is that it? Huh, punk?”

“I’m sorry! I didn’t see you!”

A ring of nosy teenagers began to form around the two of them as excited whispers broke out.

The boy grabbed him by the collar of his jacket and roared, “Are you patronising me!”

By now Hunk was _this close_ to bursting to tears. “No! I’m sorry I didn’t-I mean, I’d never—!”

“Put him down, Sendak.”

Sendak and Hunk looked in the direction of the boy’s saviour.

Sendak sneered and dropped Hunk to the ground. He landed with an ungraceful ‘plop’.

“You’re lucky Shiro’s here or I’d…” he trailed off before angrily turning around and leaving.

Hunk felt his breathing quicken as he began to tremble. He could vaguely hear Shiro telling the other students to mind their own business while someone else kneeled down next to him.

“Keith? Keith, are you okay buddy?” The voice was incredibly soothing.

Hunk nodded, clenching his fists. This was fine, he was still in control. He could overcome this. “I’m okay, I just need some fresh air.”

They helped him up and took him out to the nearest door which got them to the bleachers. Hunk took deep breaths and soon found himself returning to normal and looked to see his two saviours. The first one, Shiro, was tall and broad shouldered with black and white hair. He had a scar across his nose and had a prosthetic right arm. Hunk didn’t even want to know the events that led to all…that. He was just grateful for this guy’s rescue. The other one that helped him up earlier, Hunk never caught his name, was shorter and plainer looking with an unassuming pair of glasses. Hunk couldn’t help but notice that he had an uncanny resemblance to Pidge. Like he was her long lost older brother or something.

Shiro waited for a moment for him to recuperate. “I thought Matt and I told you not to mess with Sendak.”

“I didn’t. I just bumped into him is all,” Hunk replied. “But I’m fine now, no harm no foul right?”

He smiled at the end as an extra measure. Shiro didn’t look convinced and Matt, as Hunk came to know him, even less so.

“What happened today? You were late,” he questioned now.

Hunk rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “I…got lost?”

“You take the bus,” Shiro deadpanned.

“I got lost on the way to the bus?” Hunk tried. “And then I just got caught up in how pretty the city is, you know?”

Shiro shook his head disbelievingly. “You even sound different.” He paused as he regarded him for a moment.

Hunk furrowed his eyebrows in confusion under his gaze. “What?”

“That’s a good look for you.”

“What?” Hunk said again.

“It makes you look approachable. You should wear yellow more often,” Shiro added.

It was an offhand comment, honestly he might as well have been commenting about the weather, but Hunk couldn’t help but feel good about it.

Matt rolled his eyes at this interaction and turned to Hunk. “Did you bring your lunch?”

“Uh…” Hunk felt his face heat up in embarrassment.

“Keith…” Matt chastised.

Shiro chuckled. “One of those days, huh? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. You can have half of my sandwich.”

He took out a sandwich from the box he was carrying around and offered it to him. Hunk gently took it and stared at it.

“It’s dairy free, if that’s what you’re wondering,” Shiro joked before biting into the other half.

“Thank you,” Hunk said before eating it.

They ate in silence for a while, the sound of rowdy teenagers filling the air. Hunk marvelled at just how different this boy’s life was compared to his. It was such a stark contrast to the quiet way of life he’d been living for years.

Shiro finally spoke up again. “I know you have to go in and see Ulaz today, but if you want we could go to the café afterwards.”

Hunk’s face snapped up and his eyes widened in absolute delight. “Café?”

A pause.

“…Wait. Who’s Ulaz?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who IS Ulaz indeed??


	5. Aid

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hunk carries on about his day in Keith's body and learns more things about this mystery boy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a bit late, i know, but here have this chapter.

Ulaz turned out to be the school’s resident psychologist. He was kind looking man in his early thirties with warm amber eyes and when Hunk sat down in the sofa across him, he could honestly say he never felt safer.

Hunk had never seen a psychologist before so he was a little apprehensive at first but Ulaz smiled a little and the boy instantly thawed. This man was good at his job.

“Is there a reason you’re wearing what you’re wearing today? You normally opt for darker tones and reds.”

Hunk looked down at the yellow shirt he was wearing and shrugged. “Because I felt like it?”

“Interesting.” Hunk had no idea what about what he’d just said was remotely interesting, but he humoured the guy who had a PhD in psychology hanging in the corner.

“I heard down the grapevine that you were in a fight today,” Ulaz said.

Hunk laughed nervously. “News travels fast here.”

“What happened? Who started the altercation?”

“I guess I did? But by complete accident. I just bumped into him, but he just went from zero to like a hundred in less than a second. That guy has no chill.”

Ulaz’s eyebrows shot up amusingly. Hunk had no idea whether it was what he said or how he said it that was so funny.

“And what did you do?”

“I just kind of freaked I guess. I tried to apologise, but he wouldn’t let up. That’s when Shiro and Matt came in and saved me. I had a mini panic attack too, but nothing I couldn’t handle.”

Ulaz thought for a moment, Hunk could practically see the gears shifting in his head. Then he proceeded cautiously. “And this would be the first panic attack since the night your mother left, is that correct?”

Absolute silence. Hunk had no idea how to respond to this question except in the affirmative. Ulaz hummed, noticing that he didn’t want to broach the subject any further.

“Keith, have you been feeling any different lately?”

“Well…” Hunk paused as he considered what he was going to say. “Not really. Except, I _do_ feel like I’m in a dream sometimes. Like…like I’m living someone else’s life.”

“You’re dissociating?”

“No!” Hunk said. He knew exactly what that felt like. “I mean, it’s more intrinsic than extrinsic you know? Like sometimes when you wake up you feel like you’re still dreaming?”

“Do you feel that way now?”

Hunk knew couldn’t lie to Ulaz. Not to his face. “No. This…actually feels way too real.”

“Interesting.” He said nothing as he wrote notes in his little notebook and looked up once more. “Are you up to date with your digital journal? How often do you update it?”

Hunk, of course, had no idea. But he answered as truthfully as he could nevertheless. “As often as I can.”

It sounded vague, but promising enough that it satisfied Ulaz who gave a final definitive nod. “Okay, you’re free to go. But I want another session with you tomorrow, if that’s okay.”

Hunk nodded and stood up to leave, really thinking about how much this Keith guy had to go through.

0O0

A corgi in a sweater was panting happily as it stared at Hunk from across the room. Hunk waved at it from behind his menu as Matt and Shiro conversed amongst themselves.

The café was a quaint place, not unlike the one that Hunk had seen that morning, with a little bakery that had pastries and desserts that Hunk couldn’t even begin to name. Their meals looked good too. It wasn’t anything like the burgers and fries from the diner, there were real proper meals.

“Have you decided yet, Keith?” Matt delicately asked as he pulled his attention toward him.

“Um…” Hunk looked at the menu and cringed at the prices.

_It is a dream, anyway,_ he thought to himself before ordering.

A few minutes later when the waitress came with his food, Hunk was elated. What he’d ordered had BBQ pork with fresh pineapple, jalapeno peppers and coriander. Giddy with excitement, he took a bite and his face erupted into happiness at the flavour. The ingredients worked together so well with each other and it seemed like it was simple to put together and…

Inspired, Hunk fished a notebook from his backpack and started to make notes while Shiro and Matt watched in confusion.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Shiro asked.

“Never been happier,” Hunk responded with such sincerity that Matt and Shiro couldn’t help but exchange glances.

When the three were finished with their meals, Hunk felt more sated than he’d ever felt in his life. But before he could say anything his phone buzzed next to him. Hunk frowned and checked it.

“Oh no. Wh-what do I do? I’m late for work!” he exclaimed as he stared at the screen.

“Your shift is today?” Shiro asked.

“You should go,” Matt suggested as he took sip from his coffee mug.

Hunk stood up with conviction. “Right. Yes. I should totally go.” He paused. “Uh…Where do I work?”

0O0

A restaurant.

An actual gourmet restaurant. With at least four stars.

Hunk couldn’t help but think that this dream was just way too good.

Wait. No.

It was bad. It was really, really bad.

He’d never been trained to work at a restaurant and the waiters at the diner didn’t seem nearly as stressed as he felt.

In the kitchen, there was tons of yelling. Hunk had to rush around everywhere to get people their food, and it was always hard to remember which table wanted what. It was all fast paced and the energy was high.

Hunk felt like he was neither here nor there and honestly just needed to a moment to get his thoughts together but the instant he got some peace.

_“Keith! Table 10!”_

And off he’d go again.

But honestly, after the first hour he’d developed a steady routine. There were a few hiccups here and there but once he got the hang of it, Hunk wouldn’t be lying if he said was beginning to enjoy himself.

When things had finally started to cool down and the restaurant was way less busy, Hunk began to relax more. It was just when he’d become a bit confident that he was called out. And not by one of the other staff members.

“Yes?” he asked when he approached the customer. Immediately he felt on edge. He didn’t like the look of this guy one bit.

“There was a toothpick in our pizza,” the guy said. “Good thing I noticed. We could have gotten seriously hurt. What do you have to say?”

Hunk could feel the rising panic. “But…there aren’t any toothpicks in an Italian restaurant.”

Before he could even complete his sentence, the man slammed his hand on the table incredulously and the entire restaurant quietened down at the scene. Hunk could feel himself getting warm, whether from embarrassment or rage he didn’t really know.

Luckily, a pretty dark skinned woman with white hair that he came to know as Allura interrupted hastily.

“Pardon me,” she said in a smooth British accent. “Is everything alright?”

As the man explained himself, she whispered to Hunk, “I’ll handle this.”

And he was whisked away by another staff member who gave him a questioning glance. “What is wrong with you today?”

Hunk didn’t answer and instead looked at the woman who’d saved his neck as she politely apologised to the customer.

“Your meal is free,” she said. “I do hope that neither of you got hurt.”

Hunk had no idea how she managed to keep smiling through all of that.

0O0

The restaurant finally closed for the night and Hunk was busy vacuuming (finally, a job he was good at) while Allura was wiping the tables. It was eerily peaceful compared to the bustle from earlier and the scene the customer made hung like a cloud over Hunk’s head.

“Uh…Allura?”

She turned, acknowledging him.

“Thank you. For earlier, I mean.”

Allura smiled sweetly. “A stroke of bad luck, no doubt.”

“Uh…no, I mean—”

“I bet it was a set up,” she continued. “Well, it isn’t like we can do anything now. I handled it according to the manual, but…”

“Allura! Your skirt.”

The two of them turned to see one of the waitresses pointing at her skirt. Allura looked down to see what she had been talking about and gasped at the tear, causing a commotion.

“Are you okay?”

“What happened?”

“It was slashed.”

It was clear to everyone that Allura was fuming. “That jerk from earlier, no doubt.”

Hunk looked at her resolutely, almost as angry as her at the predicament.

“Allura, come with me,” he said, grabbing her wrist and leading her to the back.

Usually he didn’t manhandle people, but these were desperate times and Hunk would be damned before he allowed her to go out into the street like that.

“Take off your skirt,” he said once the door clicked shut behind her.

“What!”

“I mean I’ll-I’ll look the other way,” Hunk said, turning around quickly.

When he retrieved the skirt he got the sewing kit from the store room and began to embroider over the tear (indeed, needlework was another job he was good at).

“This won’t take long,” he said to Allura who had a towel draped over her  lower half.

She watched, entranced by his work as he sewed a simple picture of a sunflower on some grass along with other small decorative details. When he finished he handed it back to her and her blue eyes lit up in astonishment.

“Keith this is incredible. It looks better than before.”

Hunk chuckled. “It was nothing, really. Especially compared to you saving me today. Thank you for that by the way.”

Allura placed the folded skirt onto her lap. “If I’m being perfectly honest, I was concerned about you. You tend to have a short-temper.” She looked at him fully and smiled softly. “I like you better today. I had no idea you had a more agreeable side. I hope I get to see it more often.”

A pause.

“I hope you don’t take this the wrong way, but do you mind walking me to the station?”

0O0

Back in the bare room in which he started later that night, Hunk looked up at the ceiling from the bed.

_Who knew a person with bare walls could lead such a colourful life?_

His hand ran along the floor as he thought, until it hit something solid. Surprised, Hunk picked it up.

It was a picture frame. And what was in it made his heart melt.

It was a picture taken of three people and he could immediately identify the two males as a younger Keith and his father.

There were trees blooming in the background and Keith was smiling softly in the middle, a stark contrast to the mugshot-esque library card. To his left was his father, dressed casually and looking a lot more laid back than that morning. And to Keith’s right was his mother and the only word Hunk could use to describe her was radiant.

She had a bright smile, her golden eyes filled with such joy. Her hair was short and under a sun hat and her dress was the brightest yellow Hunk had ever seen.

He placed his hand on the cool glass as Ulaz’s voice from earlier resonated within him.

_“This would be the first panic attack since the night your mother left, is that correct?”_

_What a realistic dream,_ Hunk thought as he placed the frame back under the bed.

Hunk grabbed the phone, the thought of Ulaz sparking some interest. It turned out Keith did in fact keep a digital diary on his phone.

He smiled at the pictures of Shiro and Matt. They were candid pictures, pictures Hunk was sure the boys didn’t know were being taken but they were nothing short of art. There was one with Shiro looking thoughtfully into the distance, one with Matt laughing at something in a book and one with all three of them at school. Keith wasn’t smiling though.

_He should smile more_ , Hunk mused, thinking of the picture in the frame. _It’s no wonder people don’t find him approachable._

And there was one of Allura.

Hunk paused as he looked at it. She looked more than happy to have her picture taken. “A crush, maybe?” he mumbled. Though, honestly, he wondered if Keith was even capable of crushes.

“Well, he’s got an in now,” Hunk said as he made diary entry.

_‘Walked Allura to the station today. Turns out I just have to be nicer. Who’d’ve thought?::laughing emoji::’_

Seeing his own words in the phone sparked the memory of seeing the words in his notebook.

_‘Who are you?’_

In a flash of inspiration, Hunk went to the desk and grabbed the marker from the pen holder. Then, ignoring every cautionary word every teacher taught him, he wrote on the palm of his hand in great big capital letters just as obnoxious as the writing in the notebook.

_‘HUNK’_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, I'm on break now so expect the next few chapters to come out sooner than this one.


	6. Realisation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith finds Hunk's little note on his arm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just edited this chapter since it's just been lying on my computer for the longest time. I'm sorry that updates are sporadic, but that's uni life for you, amiryt?
> 
>  
> 
> **Keith**  
>  _Hunk_  
>  **  
> _both_  
>  **

“What…what is this?”

Keith stared down at his hand incredulously. There was a word that was written in big, bold handwriting (that wasn’t his own). The marker which he assumed had been used was on the bed side table.

‘ _HUNK’_

What the hell? What did ‘Hunk’ even mean? Was it some kind of code? Why didn’t he remember  writing it?

He decided not to ponder it too long as he got ready for school that day. But as he finished showering and put on his usual dark clothes along with his fingerless gloves, it still niggled in the back of his mind.

And checking his phone at the breakfast table didn’t solve anything either. He saw a new journal entry that _definitely_ wasn’t written by him.

_‘Walked Allura to the station today. Turns out I just have to be nicer. Who’d’ve thought?::laughing emoji::’_

“What the hell!”

0O0

School was just as bizarre as home.

Keith’s unexpected meeting with Ulaz that morning did not go as he’d hoped. The words ‘panic attack’, ‘fighting’ and ‘dream’ were all mixed into a conversation that otherwise made little to no sense to him. Seeing Ulaz was a pain most days, he only did it to appease the school teachers and to make his dad happy, but that session had been particularly unbearable.

And for some reason, Sendak was a lot more confrontational than before, as though Keith did something to incite his anger. When he was walking to his next period with Shiro and Matt, Sendak walked past him with a snarl. This was strange because Keith had been heeding his friends’ advice and avoiding him so there was absolutely no reason why he should’ve acted like that.

Shiro and Matt were acting strange too. They always stared at him when they thought he wasn’t paying attention, but Keith knew. Something was definitely up, and no one was going to explain anything to him. It was like there was some huge conspiracy that the whole world knew about except for him.

“Do you want to go to the café after school today?”

Matt’s voice snapped Keith out of his thoughts. They were on the school roof, where they normally ate.

“Can’t. I have to work.” Keith’s voice had a sharp edge to it that he didn’t necessarily mean to have, at least not aimed at Matt.

Shiro chuckled. “Will you remember where to go?”

There was a silence as Keith stared at him blankly, eyebrows slightly furrowed in confusion. “Wait, Shiro did you get into my phone and…?”

Shiro raised an eyebrow blankly and Keith sighed, completely resigned. “Nothing. I’ll be back.”

He stood up to leave and Shiro and Matt stared after him.

“He’s acting normal today,” Matt said as soon as he was out of earshot.

Shiro coughed awkwardly and avoided eye contact. “Yesterday…he acted kind of cute.”

0O0

It seemed there was no escaping the bizarreness. Not even at work.

Not even a second after Keith emerged from the changing room in his uniform was he hounded by three of his co-workers. They all looked disgruntled, as though Keith had done them some massive disservice of whatever sort and they just couldn’t deal with it.

“What now?”

“You know exactly what. You walked home with her yesterday!” one of them exploded.

“Walked who home?”

“Look at him, trying to play dumb. Allura. Who else?” asked another.

Keith internally rolled his eyes. So that mysterious journal entry was true.

“What happened afterwards?” they all prodded, clearly dissatisfied with his silence.

“I don’t know,” Keith deadpanned.

“Sure,” the second drawled, but before Keith could say anything in his defense, the door leading out opened.

Allura emerged, sunny and fashionable as always, with a smile as radiant as the sun itself. A smile that was way too similar to…

“Hello everyone,” she said, her smooth accent wafting through the room.

Immediately all the other waiters stood at attention and greeted her back, just barely holding back their infatuation with her.

“Today will be a good day, I can feel it.” She turned and looked directly at Keith with a smile just for him. “Right, Keith?”

A familiar warmth filled him but he didn’t say anything in reply as she left for the front of the restaurant. As soon as the door clicked shut behind her, the hostility in the room spiked as the other three waiters glared daggers at Keith.

-0O0-

Hunk woke up with a start at the sound of his alarm going off. It shocked him awake, which was kind of unusual for him because he was used to waking up rather slowly. When he did his usual morning stretches, a peculiar mark graced his forearm which confused him greatly.

There, written in black ink in a familiarly obnoxious handwriting, were the words “HUNK? WHO ARE YOU? WHAT ARE YOU?”

Perplexed, Hunk carried on staring at the writing in bewilderment, but before he could really do anything about it his door slammed open and Teuila, today donning cute twin pigtails, was at the doorjamb.

“You’re not staring at yourself today,” she said matter-of-factly as she glanced down.

Hunk frowned in confusion as he processed her words.

“Breakfast is ready. Get out of bed,” she sang before she slammed the door behind her.

Blinking, Hunk stared at the closed door. Then his face heated up as he looked down in direction that his sister had moments before.

“Wait. _What?”_

-0O0-

Later on that morning, Hunk walked into class and everyone stared at him warily, almost as though they were scared of him or something. His steps faltered for a moment before he crouched in on himself and walked forward, trying to make himself look as small as possible though it was practically impossible considering his size.

Whispers resonated throughout the room as he took his seat next to Pidge, and he seemed to be the subject of interest. He sighed. Not only did he have to deal with a weird morning at home, but now he had deal with _school_ as well.

“You wouldn’t happen to know why everyone is staring at me weirdly, would you?” His voice was delicate as he made his enquiry.

Pidge raised her eyebrow almost disbelievingly. Her head was resting on her small hand in a nonchalant manner that was just _so_ her.

“You…caused a stir yesterday.”

“Huh?”

_-0O0-_

_In art class the students had all pulled out there easels. It was mostly quiet for some time, the teacher having walked out only moments before. But it didn’t take very long before noise levels began to pick up as the gossip started._

_“Have you seen the Galra posters around town?”_

_“The mayor doesn’t seem to care about the rec centre. Or anything for that matter.”_

_“Sh! You know you can’t say those kinds of things around…certain people. Especially when friendships are at stake.”_

_Hunk, today without a headband and drawing the old, broken clock tower in the middle of town put down his pencil almost decisively._

_“They’re talking about me, aren’t they?” he asked Pidge next to him._

_“Uh, yeah,” she responded._

_There was a short pause as Hunk leaned back in his chair with an uncharacteristically lazy confidence. Pidge watched with morbid curiosity as he brought up one of his legs before kicking the table in front of him to the ground._

_The class quietened immediately save for a few shocked gasps at the sound of the table hitting the linoleum floor. Everyone gaped, but Hunk was unfazed as he placed his leg back down and crossed his arms. His face had contorted into a self-satisfied smirk._

_-0O0-_

“No way? I did that?”

It was after school. Hunk didn’t need to go to the rec centre that day, luckily enough. He didn’t think he’d be able to deal with the kids right now since his life was practically spiralling downwards before his very eyes, at no fault on his part either.

“Relax Hunk, it’s not half as bad as Lance made it sound,” Pidge said earnestly before frowning at the boy in question.

Hunk looked over at him as well and the mayor’s son raised his arms in surrender. “Hey, for the record…it’s totally as bad as I made it sound.”

“Lance!” Pidge bit out.

“Would I lie to him? Would I lie to you Hunk?”

The boy groaned and placed his head in his hands. “That’s it. I’m done. My reputation is totally ruined.”

“Not totally. People are only, like, a little afraid of you dude.”

Hunk groaned again. None of this made sense; the weird things that happen to him without his knowledge, the notes, all of it.

He paused as realisation struck him. “I need to go,” he said breaking into a jog. “See you guys tomorrow!”

He didn’t even look back to see their reactions, he just ran and ran until he got home. He hastily greeted his grandmother and Teuila before slamming his bedroom door behind him, absolutely breathless at this point.

Fumbling for his bag, he finally found his notebook and paged through it. He figured since the last time this happened there was a note he would find more. And he was right.

There were drawings of the old clock tower with notes next to it in the same handwriting from before. Other landmarks too, like the lake. He didn’t remember taking any of these notes.

“Could…could this be? In my dreams, that guy and I are…?”

0O0

Keith was frantically paging through his phone’s diary entries on his bed, noticing a pattern. Every time his friends mentioned that he’d been acting weirdly the day before, there were entries that definitely weren’t his own written.

His hand ran through his hair. There was no way anybody would’ve had access to his phone. And Shiro and Matt had already said they didn’t touch it.

There was only one solution, but it was so absurd that Keith didn’t want to say it loud.

“Are we really, actually…? That guy I dream about? We’re actually…?”

**_“Swapping places?”_ **

-0O0-

As time went on, bits and pieces of information soon began to fall into place after the initial realisation. Things started to make more sense. Hunk and Keith figured out that they were around the same age and a few times a week they’d swap places. There wasn’t really any pattern to when these…swaps happened.

One thing that _was_ a constant was that sleeping triggered it, which explained the dreamy feeling either of them had experienced lately. What exactly caused it, however, was still unknown. Neither of them could really remember the switch after waking up as their minds were a little clouded.

But they were most definitely switching.

If the notes left behind weren’t proof enough, the reactions of their friends and families sealed the deal. Keith had found out that he’d embroidered over a tear in Allura’s skirt though he had no prior knowledge in needlework. And sometimes, Hunk got awed looks from his peers even though he’d mostly been the subject of gossip for the past few months and he had no recollection of what he could have possibly done to make them change their minds.

That being said, in order to protect whatever fragile balance their lives had, the two of them laid down some ground rules.

_Don’t be late for school._

_Be less mean._

_Try to spend less._

_Be nicer to the kids._

Things like that.

As an added measure, Hunk and Keith wrote down detailed reports of the events that occurred on swap days in order to communicate with each other. Just in order to grasp some semblance of control in their lives as they tried to overcome this phenomenon.

But…it wasn’t easy.

Keith acted distant around Hunk’s friends on his swap days and still spoke up for himself regarding the rumours concerning him and Lance, something Hunk otherwise would not have done. Not to mention he was incredibly stiff around the kids and the festival was looming oh so close.

Hunk still managed to get lost on his way back home from school or work because of how big the city was. He’d always get distracted by finding new places and stores to explore and would amble aimlessly.

**-Dad is getting suspicious. What on earth are you doing out in the city so late at night anyway?**

_-I just keep getting lost. Please stop kicking around school furniture. I’d rather not get detention._

**-Stay out of Sendak’s way. I’m stressed enough as it is without him breathing down my neck.**

_-Well, it’s no wonder you’re so stressed if you take so many shifts. Just chill._

**-Don’t give me that when you’re the one that has to deal with kids every other day. You don’t even get paid.**

_-I don’t think I can deal with another session with Ulaz._

**-What’s up with these baskets anyway? And why do you help kids if you’ve got a whole farm to take care of?**

And it went on like that. Days turned into weeks and soon they got into the rhythm of things. Keith as Hunk forced himself to be more outgoing with his friends which wasn’t too bad he guessed. Lance was a bit…much but Keith soon got used to him especially after he found out he was the mayor’s son and people started rumours about them ending their friendship over the Galra deal. The kids were…fine. Over time Keith learned to tolerate them too.

Hunk was beginning to get his bearings of the city, and the sessions with Ulaz were going okay. He managed to make a convincing Keith by being vague about his answers apparently. Shiro and Matt were cool too, he supposed. They really cared for Keith which Hunk appreciated. Hunk and Allura became close friends and oftentimes walked to the station together.

_-Went out to have some coffee with Allura today. You have another friend in your corner_

**-Hunk, I don’t need you governing my relationships.**

_-Keith…why did a guy confess to me today?_

**-I don’t know…but I should say that people think you’re cooler or whatever when I’m you.**

_-How would you even know? It’s not like you’re dating anyone._

**-Well, you’re not dating anyone either so I fail to see your point.**

_-Well, joke’s on you…_

**-What you don’t seem to get is…**

**_-I prefer being alone._ **

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry for any spelling and grammatical errors, I proofread this as much as I could.


End file.
